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Everything posted by DD_Fenrir

Air Combat Group - a mix of RAF & Lufty squads who congregated online to do realistic CloD campaigns back when CloD was more popular. Like Storm of War but a closed group. Got some good vids out there, some good pilots too.
https://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/

As a rule for all FC3 level aircraft (and even the full blown jet modules) these are the primary bindings to map to joystick or throttle as you'll reference them often and usually under stress!:
1. Target Designator Cursor (TDC) Up, Down, Left, Right - put this on a hat switch. Yes, even if it means banishing trim control to the keyboard; you'll use TDC control more!
2. Weapon Select
3. Airbrake
4. Chaff and Flare dispense

Hello chaps and chapesses,
New DCS update dropped today for you stable version users. The big news: MiG-29 Professional Flight Model is available to those who own the DCS Flaming Cliffs 3 content. It's a lotta fun!
Many other fixes and tweaks, but... still no dice for the Spitfire canopy/windshield issues, alas....

Hello chaps,
Just a heads up to keep you abreast of developments that are emerging on the horizon.
Storm of War (SoW) multiplayer campaign is working towards a new Normandy 1944 campaign to be flown in DCS. This makes me VERY happy, and I'm sure some of you will find this news equally pleasing.
Provisionally it looks like Friday European evenings are shaping up to be the event night - until such time as it may become a 24hr a day deal.
For those unfamiliar with Storm of War, it is a full switch (no externals, no map icons, but custom labels to help spotting in DCS), dynamic campaign server.
What this means is tracking of unit losses and target destruction is persistent from one mission day to another - you hit a target on day 1, day 2 that target stays destroyed and persistently so into days 3,4 ,5, etc., unless resources are dedicated for it's repair. There are fixed stocks of aircraft (and possibly vehicle units) for each side which suffer attrition as the campaign progresses; there is resupply but if your losses (at both squadron level and for all units ground, sea and air!) outstrip your supplies then prepare for some restrictions to your operations.
If they are able to integrate the features from the old CloD SoW, this could mean tracking of your allotted a/c serial numbers, repair of damaged airframes, logging of your mission hours, tracking of your statistics and victories... and also your deaths!
So, may be you're interested - what do you need?
The first thing is DCS World 2.5, with the Normandy 1944 map and the WW2 Asset Pack modules.
We've been provisionally allocated as an Allied squadron so Spitfire IX or P-51D (not TF-51) Modules would be required.
There is a move towards Simple Radio Standalone: https://github.com/ciribob/DCS-SimpleRadioStandalone/wiki
This uses the in cockpit radios in DCS as the primary voice communication system - we still use TS3 as a lobby and back-up but you communicate through the frequencies set in the DCS cockpit radio - clever stuff! I'm investigating this currently and will expound further on this as the requirement matures. What this means generally is for the Mustang and Spit that you will have to have the correct radio button (A, B, C, or D) pressed to communicate with your Squadron, Air Traffic Control, Ground Control or other respectively; if you takeoff from your home base and forgot to switch your channel from ATC to your squadron channel, you won't hear your flight leader's orders!
That's it from the software requirements!
There will be further requirements in terms of competency
1. You'll need to be able to get on or off the deck 9 times out of 10; or at the very least doing so with minimum damage (damaged airframes could be taken out of availability for a variable period of repair dependant on how bad you broke it - do so regularly and it will limit the airframes available for operations and detrimentally affect your squadron's sortie rate).
2. You'll need to be able to keep loose combat formation - no Blue Angels stuff here but to be able to keep well up on your leader so you can in the same breath look at them for station keeping but also clear their tail without losing peripheral vision of their plane - and just as importantly so that he can do the same for you. From our previous experience in SoW this is the single most important tactical consideration because the opposition are some of the sneakiest and well disciplined opponents you will face they will bounce you at every opportunity and good cross-cover is essential.
3. Be conversant with systems for arming/selecting and dropping of tanks/bombs. Nuff' said.
4. This is less a requirement but is definite must if you hope to maximise your enjoyment of the campaign and make the most of fleeting opportunities as they present themselves. Work on your gunnery - understand how crucially important keeping the slip ball/needle centred is and how changes in power and airspeed affect your directional trim so you can compensate instinctively.
If you feel lacking in any of the above then contact me and I'm happy to do some 1-to-1 or small group training sessions to help you refine these.
Otherwise please let me know below if this is something you'd be interested in taking part of!
Cheers!
Fen

Was a pleasure old bean.
An audience does raise the stakes and the heart rate, n'es pas?!
Well flown - as discussed, your fundamental technique is about right, it's just a case of tidying the edges.
Oh, and bloody good gunnery by the way. You could teach some of the chaps a thing or two!